


Cold Summer

by Sherloaf_and_Beljohn



Category: The Evil Within (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Blood and Gore, Eventual Smut, Happy Ending, M/M, Maybe - Freeform, Mild Gore, Mild Sexual Content, Multi, Reader-Insert, Sexual Content, Temporary Amnesia, Torture, Violence, i love jojo, idk if its explicit tho?, the sex will probs get explicit, the title doesnt even make sense frick me, theres violence but idk if its graphic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-23
Updated: 2017-08-11
Packaged: 2018-04-10 22:04:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 15,651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4409486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sherloaf_and_Beljohn/pseuds/Sherloaf_and_Beljohn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>[m/name] learns that waking up as an entirely different person can be more difficult than he initially thinks.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. into the fire

**Author's Note:**

> there isn't a lot of leslie/reader but i love leslie and also joseph is bae.

Staring out the window of his room, [m/name] watched the grey sky with a steady expression, hands folded in his lap as he sat in a chair by the small dirty window frame. Normally a tidy man, his mind was a mess. The strange detectives had come to visit him again today, but instead of asking him questions like he thought detectives would, they simply came to visit him. He had been confused at the way they talked to him, as if they had known each other for much more than just a short span of a week. 

The detectives consisted of two men and one woman. The older of the three, or as he had introduced himself, Sebastian Castellanos, had stubble on his chin and combed back but ruffled brunette hair. The woman, or Juli Kidman, had longer brunette hair that flared out at the edges, and though she seemed courteous, [m/name] could tell she wasn't as into these little visits as the other two. That leaves the other man, Joseph Oda. He seemed to be the one most affected by seeing him in the hospital, but [m/name] didn't know why. As far as he knew, he had never met any of the three detectives, but Joseph had nearly crushed him against his chest when they first arrived in his doorway a week ago. 

He had no time, however, to think upon this, for the door to his room was flung open, and he let out a yelp as his arm was taken in a vice-like grip, and he was yanked from his chair, stumbling as it tipped over. "Hey--" He had no idea what was going on, but the floor suddenly quaked violently under his feet, causing him and the person gripping his arm to fall forward. His eyes shut as the floor got nearer, but an arm slipped around his waist and kept him upright. 

Pulled against a chest with a strangely familiar scent, [m/name]'s fingers curled against a broader chest, and he looked up to see the glasses-clad face of Joseph Oda. "Oh--..." Locking eyes for a split second, the detective began to run again, tugging a very confused [h/c] male with him. "Wa-wait! Detective Oda, what's going on?!" He asked as they raced down hallways and fled down the steps two at a time. 

"There's no time to explain! Just trust me!" The other male called back, this time gripping his wrist tightly. When they finally burst through the doors, [m/name] was panting, and had to bend down slightly, placing his free hand on his knee as he gulped down lungfuls of air. 

"W-what is going on here...? Detective Oda, I--"

"Joseph... just call me Joseph." He interjected. "Sorry, it's... force of habit." 

"O-okay then. J-Joseph, what exactly is going on? Why does the city..." [m/name] looked all around him at the burning and crumbled buildings, billowing trails of smoke rising high into the atmosphere. 

"I'm not exactly sure, but I do know that we need to find someplace safe." There was a rumbling overhead, and [m/name] looked up in time to see part of the building crumble and plummet towards them. "Watch out!" [m/name] grunted in surprise as an impact with his body knocked the wind out of him and pushed his back against the wall. He heard the building's rubble crash to the ground, and winced when he felt shards cut his bare legs. He wished he was wearing long pants instead of shorts. 

His back was digging into the corner of the wall, and he winced slightly, his skin sensitive and unused to being handled in such a rough manner. "I-I think it's okay now, s-so can you..." Joseph backed away immediately, but still remained close.

"Sorry... Are you alright?" He asked, and [m/name] nodded slightly, staring at the ground. 

"We should probably start moving," he said, walking in front of Joseph. After some hesitation, he could hear Joseph's footsteps following his own. 

...

The sun had begun to disappear below the horizon, and as [m/name] looked over the ruin that had been Krimson City, he thought it looked oddly beautiful. "How did it become like this?" he whispered. Joseph watched him from a few feet away, a somber look on his face. "Do you hear that?" [m/name] asked, turning around at the sound of shuffling feet. 

Eyes widening in horror, he saw what appeared to be a small group of... _zombies_ heading straight to where he and Joseph were standing. He would have stepped back, if not for the fact that he was standing near a cliff with a rather large fall. Joseph, who had also turned around, raised a gun he had clutched in his hand and began to shoot at the undead's heads, and [m/name] could feel bile rising in his throat as their heads exploded with wet splashing sounds and their bodies fell to the ground in heaps. 

Falling to his knees, [m/name] began to retch as Joseph continued to shoot the... what were humans. Shaking, he shut his eyes tight, and even as Joseph stopped shooting, he could still hear the ringing in his ears. He heard the sound of someone kneeling in front of him, and a hand gently rested on his shoulder. Panting slightly, [m/name] tried to swallow, but he could only cough as his stomach clenched again. 

Feeling lightheaded, he tried to piece together what was happening. First the rumbling, now the devastated city, and the zombies... What the hell was going on??


	2. boy meets boy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which ruvik is slightly ooc and joseph is left alone

After moving to a place in the nearby forest where there was some coverage, Joseph began to explain what was happening. "Before all of this went on, there was a loud ringing in my head. Did you hear it too?" 

"A loud ringing...? Uh... I-I think so, but I thought it was just when I was dreaming..." 

"That was how it all began... Then I lost track of Sebastian and Kidman, but I was lucky you were still here..." Joseph paused, "no one else was here, though. I wonder why that was..." Looking up and seeing [m/name]'s expression, he quickly tried to ease his mind. "Don't worry, we'll catch up to Sebastian and Kidman. I'll protect you, so just stay behind me, okay?"

[m/name] swallowed hard. "R-right..."

They began to try and find a way to meet up with Sebastian, Kidman, Leslie, and the Doctor, but [m/name] couldn't shake off the feeling that they were being watched. Several times he had looked over and around his shoulder, but no one could be found. Sticking close to Joseph, he acted as another pair of eyes, and when they ran into zombies he tried to stay out of the way and hide somewhere. What else could he do? 

They had just stumbled upon a small store, crumbled and ruined by whatever was plaguing the city. Shattered glass littered the ground, and [m/name] carefully stepped over it with his worn shoes. "Maybe there's something we can take here. It's still key that we try to look after our health." Joseph said, slowly opening the door and making his way in, gun poised in his hands. Cautiously following him, [m/name] looked around, trying to find any signs of zombies. 

He noticed the bomb too late. 

"Joseph!" He launched himself at the taller man, shoving him behind a shelf as it exploded, sending dust and debris flying in all directions. Landing on the floor, [m/name] winced as he felt his hands slam down on something sharp. Lying on top of the other man, [m/name]'s eyes scanned him for signs of injury. "Are you okay?" he asked, throat tight. 

Joseph nodded, sitting up. "I'm fine, what about you? The blast..." He eyed the shards of glass stuck in [m/name]'s hands, but he shook them out, wincing at the pain.

"I'm fine, too, but the sound might have attracted other... things. We should get going." [m/name] said, grabbing a stray box of granola bars and stuffing some in his pockets. Working their way to the back, the two males jumped as something moved in their immediate line of view. Gasping, [m/name] stepped back as a heavy thump accompanied a dead body falling from a chair in the back. 

"It's alright... it's dead." Joseph said, and it was then that [m/name]'s eyes caught something black and shiny. Reaching for it, he grabbed the gun lying on the counter next to him, and some spare bullets in an open box, torn open from the looks of it. "Are you going to be alright?" Joseph asked, watching him carefully as he loaded and cocked the gun. 

"I think it'll be fine. It feels... familiar somehow..." [m/name] said, tightening his grip on the gun. It did feel oddly familiar, but he couldn't remember holding a gun in his entire life. Then again, he only started living his life about a month ago, when he awoke in the hospital, so he couldn't know for sure if he had used a gun before. Looking up, he caught Joseph's eye, but the latter turned away quickly and began to walk again. 

"We should try to get a sense of direction. I thought I saw someone running in the distance earlier, but I can't be sure." 

They walked until they came across another cliff where the buildings dropped off and hung precariously over the edge. A locked gate blocked their way, and they began to look for a key. Forcing the gate open would alert the Haunted and Cadaver on the other side. Getting as close to the edge as he dared, [m/name] looked down, only to shiver and step back. Twisting his body to look back, he let out a yelp as a Haunted came lunging towards him. 

Joseph jumped and began to run towards him, and the Haunted kept diving at [m/name], trying to kill him or push him off the edge. Fumbling with his gun, the panicking male tried to avoid getting grabbed, but when a vice-like hand clamped down on his shoulders, he thrashed wildly. Twisting his arm to try and hit the Haunted, [m/name] struggled to both throw the thing off of him and also kill it at the same time. 

"Hold on, [m/name]!" He heard Joseph's voice, but at that moment his foot slipped on a loose part of the cliff, and to his horror, he and the Haunted began to fall off of the edge. He heard Joseph call his name again, but he seemed to fall in slow motion, and his body froze in fear as he plummeted to the ground. 

His mouth opened in a scream, but no sound came out, and instead of hitting the ground painfully and dying, his body seemed to slip through the boulders and dirt as if he was falling through liquid. He did, however, land on something cold and hard, and the breath was knocked out of him as he lay on his back, coughing and struggling to breathe. "Wh-what the--" Shaking, he had to lie down and stare at the dark ceiling. His palms lay flat against a dirty and cold concrete floor, and when he finally had the strength to pull himself up, [m/name] looked around the room.

It was rather large, a small set of two stairs let up to four separate archways that opened up into new rooms, and there were columns supporting the room. A flickering torch sat on each wall, giving some light to the cold and empty room. Beside him, a tall statue of a woman with her head bowed sat in the middle of the room

"Wh-where is this?" He asked, standing up and using the nearby statue to support himself. "J-Joseph? Are you there?" He called, walking cautiously to the archway in front of him. Not daring to go any further than the dimly lit room he was in, [m/name] peeked through the doorway. Not hearing or seeing anything, he shuffled backwards to try and think of a way to escape. Upon turning around, he came face to face with a Haunted. Gasping, he threw himself back, pressing his back into a column in the middle of the hall. 

Raising the gun automatically, he pulled on the trigger, but empty clicking accompanied his fears. Digging through his pockets for bullets, he wished he had clothes more suitable for combat. 

"Guns won't help you much here." Startled by the deep baritone of the person's voice, [m/name] paused, shivering against the column as he stared wide-eyed at what he thought was a Haunted. 

"Who are you?" [m/name] asked, cursing his voice for wavering. Instead of answering him, the figure stepped forward, and as [m/name]'s eyes adjusted, he saw that he was clad in a worn and dirty white robe with a hood pulled over his head. Most of his body was covered in burns, and the pants he was wearing was also in tatters. The closer he got, the more [m/name]'s heart beat and the more fearful he got. When the unknown person was a few feet away, he finally bolted, forcing his legs to carry him down halls, turn corners and jump over scattered rubble. 

Even though he ran, [m/name] had a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach that he wasn't getting anywhere, and eventually he found himself in the same room he started in. The mysterious person hadn't moved, and [m/name] panted, staring fearfully as they turned around.

"H-how... what are you?" He asked. The his gun hand was limp, and he could only stare as the figure moved steadily towards him. Backing away slightly, he and the figure locked eyes, and his heel hit the wall before he knew what was going on. A split second later, the figure was up close, and [m/name] could see every scar and stitch on his face. Gasping again, he raised his hands to push him away, to shoot, to do anything, but the gun was knocked out of his hands and he was suddenly shoved against the wall with large, rough hands. 

Squirming against the pain, [m/name] tried to throw the other's hands off of him, but he was much weaker than this person. "Who are you?" he asked, voice steadier. "Let go!"

"My, my. Aren't you exuberant." His voice sent an unpleasant chill down [m/name]'s spine.

"Just tell me who you are!" He cried, struggling against the other's tight grip. A sinister smile stretched across the taller male's face. 

"Ruvik."


	3. protective instincts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which leslie uses a shovel and sebastian is protective

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i feel like these chapters are getting longer
> 
> also hahahahaahhaha i meant to put a non-ruvik chapter between the last encounter but oops hahahahahah..????????

Ruvik. Ruvik. [m/name]'s mind raced with this new information. Why did it sound so familiar?? Had he heard it before? What in the world was going on??

"R-Ruvik?" He asked, the name awkwardly rolling off of his tongue. "Let me go," he demanded, but he cried out in pain a second later as Ruvik twisted his hands in a painful position. 

"I don't think you're in any position to be asking me for things," Ruvik watched as the smaller male gasped in pain. "I am the god in this world."

"You look like a normal person to me," [m/name] decided not to mention the horrible burns and scars nearly covering the man's body. 

"Oh, believe me I am so much more. I can do so much more than trap you here and make you cry out in pain." Ruvik said. "I can make you submit to me in fear and agony, and believe me I intend to. You were a mistake in this plan."

Heart pounding in fear, [m/name] tried to kick Ruvik, and in the blink of an eye several sharp needles appeared right before him, inches away from his eyes. Freezing, [m/name] felt his breath catch in his throat as he stared wide-eyed at the needles. As the needles inched closer, his breathing returned in sharp, short pants, and they stopped centimeters away from his irises. A sudden pain at his ankles caused his back to arch off the wall as he cried out, and he could feel what seemed like barbed wire slowly curl around his ankles, tearing open his skin and leaving warm trails of blood. 

In between small cries of pain, [m/name] was also painfully aware of Ruvik's eyes watching him intently as he squirmed and struggled. "S-stop... please..!" He cried, trying to wrench himself from Ruvik's grip. The barbed wire crept up his legs until they reached his thighs, where it tightened momentarily, drawing another cry from [m/name]'s lips. Then, as soon as it appeared, the wire dissolved from his leg, but the streaks of blood and the pain was still there. The experience left him trembling, and he panted softly, tears clouding his vision. 

"Humans are weak. They're forced to depend on each other for the sake of their lives and yet they somehow still find pleasure in the pathetic reality they call life," Ruvik's voice was spiteful, and his grip on the other male's wrists tightened to the point of pain, and with a rush of wind, he was gone, standing in the middle of the room as [m/name] fell to his knees, shivering. "We'll meet again. I'll be watching you and if you think running can do anything for you, you're very, very wrong," Ruvik said, raising his hand. 

[m/name] was falling again, but this time he landed on a patch of grass. Staring at the sky, he tried to comprehend what happened, but what he did realize is that the wounds on his legs were gone, as if they never happened. His skin still tingled where Ruvik had gripped his wrists, and where the barbed wire had dug into his skin.

...

[m/name] was all alone, defenseless, and had no idea where to begin looking for his friends. Curling up into a ball, he tried to bite back the tears, but he wiped the few that leaked out of his eyes, and using a boulder for support, he stood, beginning to walk up a hill in hopes of getting a better grasp on his surroundings. 

When he emerged out of the woods, he squinted. It had gotten darker, and it was hard to see through the dark, but he could make out several scattered houses, a graveyard, and a barn in the far distance. Picking his way around tangled bushes and pits, he carefully made his way down the slight hill that led towards the houses. 

He was just making his way towards the houses when he spotted a white figure in the distance. Breath hitching in his throat, he almost turned and ran, when he realized that the white was from the clothing of an asylum patient, not Ruvik. Hurrying towards him, he recognized the figure as Leslie, someone he often see occasionally in the halls of the mental hospital. Working his way over to the boy, [m/name] didn't want to call out to him in fear of alerting enemies, but he did quietly say his name when he was close enough.

"Ah... Leslie, right? Are you alone? Is everything okay?" He asked. The albino kept glancing around him, muttering under his breath.

"Scary, scary, scary," he murmured, eyes wide and unfocused. Placing his hand gently on Leslie's arm, [m/name] smiled slightly.

"I'll protect you. So we have to go, alright?" He said, reaching into his pocket. He was surprised to find the gun there, remembering when Ruvik knocked it out of his hands. Fingers smoothing over the grip, he almost lost himself in thought, if not for Leslie's insistent tugging on his sleeves. "Okay. Let's get going, alright?"

"Alright, alright... alright..." Leslie muttered, shuffling behind [m/name] and clenching the hem of his shirt tightly. Walking towards the houses, [m/name] kept his eyes peeled for any signs of Haunted. He wished he had something else besides a gun, something that could let him kill zombies quietly. Not that [m/name] really enjoyed killing things at all. 

Even as they trailed softly across the dirt and patches of dying grass, they still couldn't avoid the few Haunted that rose to attack them. Missing some shots, he cried out in panic as a sticky and deformed hand grabbed and yanked at his ankles. Falling back, he braced himself against the impact of the ground, crying out as rocks and unearthed tree roots dig into his spine. Wrestling with the Haunted, there was no way he could shoot it, and he called out to Leslie as the Haunted snarled and tried to claw at his face.

"Leslie, run! Get away from here!" He gritted his teeth, struggling to throw the zombie off his smaller frame. "Get... off...!" He gritted his teeth, and as he struggled, a sudden pain in his head caused his arms to falter and the Haunted to fall towards him. "Hah!" He kicked and struggled as a memory suddenly flooded back to him.

_"Get off me! You're under arrest for assaulting an officer and indecent exposure!" The man atop the smaller framed officer grinned._

_"Oh yeah, punk? What can you do when you're too weak to throw me off, huh? Even when I'm drunk I can outmatch you in strength."_

_"I'll add disorderly conduct to your list of growing crimes, too!"_

_"Some cop you are!"_

_"I'm also a detective!" kicking the other man in the shin, [m/name] scrambled up and pinned the man's arms behind his back. "You have the right to remain silent, anything said will be used against you."_

_"As if you can throw me in court for no big deals such as this!"_

_"No, but I do have the authority to put you in jail and wait until someone comes to pick you up. In fact, let's call up the whole family while we're at it."_

_"You little bastard...!"_

When [m/name] opened his eyes, he could hear the sounds of something metal slamming over and over against flesh. His stomach twisting horribly, he looked around and saw Leslie hitting the Haunted repeatedly with a shovel. "Les--Leslie..." he called out, trying to push himself up from the ground. "Leslie, stop, it's okay!" He hauled the white-haired boy away, not ready for the lack of weight on Leslie's part. The two fell over, and [m/name] held the boy close to him. "It's okay, it's okay. You can stop. I'm sorry, Leslie, I'm sorry for putting you through that." 

The boy rocked back and forth in his arms, clutching the shovel and whispering furiously under his breath. His eyes were wide and unfocused, darting around as he sat pressed tightly against [m/name]'s chest. 

"Thank you, Leslie. For saving me," [m/name] smiled slightly, trying to get Leslie to look at him. "But it's okay now, so you can put the shovel down, okay?" Bit by bit, Leslie calmed down, until his grip on the shovel loosened enough for [m/name] to take it from his hands and toss it aside. "We should keep moving. I promise, I won't let anything hurt you while I'm here," gently easing Leslie onto his feet, they hurried the rest of the way, shutting and locking one of the doors behind them to prevent immediate danger. "We're safe here," [m/name] told Leslie, who shuffled behind him, hand clutching at the hem of his shirt once more. 

"Safe here, safe here, safe here..." he murmured as [m/name] searched for anything of use; bullets, a knife, a better pair of clothes. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he was still worrying about Joseph, and something in his heart ached. 

_'What am I thinking? He's probably fine. He seemed to know more about what was going on than me.'_ [m/name] thought. 

He let out a small yelp as Leslie suddenly latched onto his torso, wrapping his arms tightly around and shaking visibly. "Leslie? Leslie what's wrong?" he asked, twisting his head to see the other male pressing as close as he could to [m/name]'s back. Wincing slightly as Leslie accidentally pressed up against bruises from earlier, [m/name] tried to look around for any danger. "Leslie? What's the matter--"

"Ahhh!" the boy suddenly cried, flinging himself away and running out the door. 

"Leslie, wait!" Running after him, he almost ran into Sebastian, who looked taken aback upon seeing him.

"[m/name]?" He asked. 

"Sebastian!" 

"What's wrong? Where's Joseph?" He asked. [m/name] bit the inside of his cheek. 

"I-I don't know, one minute I was with him, and the next..."

"Please, we must hurry and find Leslie," the doctor beside Sebastian urged. 

"R-right, Sebastian, do you have a spare knife? Guns really aren't my thing, after all." Sebastian tilted his head slightly as the three of them hurried after Leslie.

"You're using a gun? Are you alright?" 

[m/name] felt his eyebrows furrow. "Joseph asked the same thing, even though I don't know why he has any reason to worry. I'm fine." Sebastian stayed silent. 

"Never mind. It's nothing serious." He began to look around the house they were in, picking up spare ammo and pocketing jars of what looked like green liquid. 

Meanwhile, the doctor tried to coddle Leslie, telling him everything was okay. "Don't worry, Leslie, you're safe with us!" He said, straining to keep the boy from running off again. 

"Leslie, Sebastian and I will protect you. Nothing's gonna hurt you, alright? Trust us," [m/name] said, and Leslie once again latched himself to the smaller man, huddling behind him. The doctor, instead of trying to coax Leslie and calm down, watched with unabashed interest. Feeling uncomfortable for Leslie's sake, [m/name] slipped in front of the doctor's line of sight, shielding him as much as he could from the doctor's view. "Sebastian, how is everything? Is there something wrong?" 

At that moment, the door burst open, and the sounds of squishing footsteps kept them all in suspense. Keeping his ground in front of Leslie, [m/name] watched as Sebastian cocked his gun and waited, ready to strike. Though he couldn't see what was on the other side of the tattered curtains, Sebastian's eyes looked too unfocused to be staring at something right in front of him. [m/name] was about to get his own gun ready, but Sebastian gave a small nod, signaling everything was okay. 

They began to step outside, but suddenly Sebastian stopped, pulling [m/name] behind him and pointing his gun in all different directions. "Sebastian?" [m/name] asked. 

"I don't believe it... Ruvik..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sebastian is slowly growing on me
> 
> i didn't put as much of him in this chapter as i wanted to u_u


	4. shivers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which ruvik has a hostage and gets a little experimental

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> shhhh ruvik is ooc for plot's sake im sorry :C

Snapping his head in the direction of the doctor and Sebastian's gaze, [m/name] froze at the sight of the robe-clad man. Leslie began to scream, and [m/name] flung himself in front of the curled up boy, shielding him from Ruvik's piercing gaze. In return, he stared [m/name] down, and a cold shiver ran down the length of his spine. 

"What do you want?" Sebastian demanded, drawing Ruvik's attention to him. Instead of providing an answer, a small smirk curled up on his lips, and he turned away. "Hey, wait!" Sebastian followed, despite the doctor's warning, and the air around him seemed to waver with black and blue ripples. The next second, Sebastian was gone, and [m/name] blinked furiously, positive his mind had tricked him. Backing up slightly, he was still aware of Leslie's trembling form behind him, barely pressed up against the wall. 

Ruvik seemed to phase a few feet away from [m/name] and Leslie, there was no other way he could explain how Ruvik was suddenly there, in front of them, and he reached a hand out towards Leslie but [m/name] refused to back down. "Stay back!" His voice was not wavering as much as he thought, but he could still feel his own legs quiver as Ruvik stared him down. 

Locked in a staring contest, [m/name] didn't notice the doctor reach for the gun sticking out of his pocket until it was too late. He saw the doctor cock the gun, saw him point it towards Ruvik, and it was then that he finally lunged at the doctor, almost in slow motion, his arm stretched out. "Stop!" He cried, meaning to swing the gun away. As he yanked on the doctor's arm, the gun swung and was instead pointed at Leslie. To [m/name]'s horror, the gun fired, and the world seemed to slow down as the bullet traveled straight towards a hapless, wide-eyed Leslie. "No!" 

Stretching his arm out to cover Leslie from the bullet, he forced his legs to move despite the paralyzing fear he felt for Leslie. " _Leslie_!" He cried out. Gripping the front of Leslie's white asylum outfit, he yanked the boy down just as the bullet made contact with the wall. 

Something was strange, however. He didn't hear the sound the bullet made when coming in contact with the wall, nor did he feel the fabric of Leslie's uniform in his hands. In fact, it was too quiet, and when [m/name] opened his unconsciously closed eyes, he found himself alone and crouching on a familiar dusty and rubble-covered concrete floor.

"Interesting how you strive to protect him." 

Well, he was almost alone. Turning to look up at Ruvik, he felt anger begin to curl up in his stomach. "Where's Leslie?" he asked, curling his hands into fists. 

"I can hardly see how it pertains to you when I am in control of everything here." Ruvik took a step forward, but [m/name] jumped up from where he was crouching, pointing the gun he had yanked from the doctor at Ruvik. Still, he hated how he backed away every time Ruvik stepped closer, and when his back hit the wall, his shaking hands cocked the gun once more. 

Blinking rapidly, the more he looked at the gun pointed at Ruvik's head, the more his hands shook, and the more he wanted to throw the gun to the side. Chest heaving, he dropped the gun to the floor, releasing it as if it had burned him. "Why... can't I...??" He gasped, clutching one hand to his chest. 

"Do you want me to show you?" Looking up, he froze as Ruvik reached out a burned and scarred hand towards him. As his fingers touched [m/name]'s forehead, he felt as if he had been thrust through the wall. Looking around, his eyes widened as he heard two voiced echo through the misty whiteness he was surrounded by.

_"Oh god, [m/name], you..."_

_"S-stay back! I-I don't want to--oh god..."_

_"[m/name], hey, look at me. It's going to be okay, you're going to be okay."_

_"N-no, I can't--! I didn't mean to...! H-he was coming at me and--!"_

_"I know, I know. Listen, we can fix this--"_

_"We can't fix anything! S-Sebastian I-I didn't mean to... I didn't mean to kill him!"_

Forcing his back against the wall, [m/name] gasped, panting as Ruvik watched with unblinking eyes. "I...I... I killed someone....? But why.. I-I've never touched a gun in my life besides today... and why was Sebastian..." Feeling slightly nauseous, he pressed his hand to his mouth and sunk down the wall. Staring at the ground, his fists shook slightly. "What are you staring at?" 

"You have so many expressions. It intrigues me," Ruvik said. 

"Don't make fun of me!" [m/name] gritted his teeth, leaping up at Ruvik to swing a fist at him. The taller male merely disappeared, and a heavy swing at [m/name]'s back caused the other male to fall forward. Crying out, he gasped in pain as his head was yanked back by a harsh tug on his hair. The pressure of Ruvik on his back prevented him from escaping. 

"I know who you are, [m/name]. I know your fears, your desires, and in this world you're mine. I can do what I please to you and you can't oppose me." 

"You-you're wrong...!" [m/name] choked out. His heart was beating so fast and his head was throbbing. " _Ahh_..!" Crying out in pain as the familiar tearing of barbed wire crept up his legs, he bit his lip hard. His head was released and his body writhed in pain as wire crept along his hands, keeping them pinned to the floor. Instead of wrapping him up completely, the wire stopped at his wrists and ankles. "Let go..." he wheezed, chest heaving at irregular intervals. 

A hand ran down his spine, in between his shoulder blades, and [m/name] pressed his face into the floor, shivering. "Wh-what are you doing?" he whispered, voice strained as the hand stopped at the base of his spine. 

"I can't feel much, but watching you react is... interesting." Trailing his hand down [m/name]'s spine again, Ruvik watched as the younger male struggled to not react. Pressing his thumb in the middle of his back, he watched as the [h/c] male inhaled sharply, his back arching slightly. 

"Stop it!" He cried out, yelping as the wire tightened around his wrists and ankles. 

"If you can't handle this, then you won't be able to live with yourself knowing what I'm going to make you do. Poor little Joseph couldn't." [m/name] seemed to perk up at Joseph's name. 

"Jospeh? What did you do to him?" He demanded, straining to move despite the little room the wire offered. Ruvik merely hummed slightly, continuing the minstrations of his hand. "Answer me! What did you do to Joseph?" [m/name] struggled, despite the pain of the barbed wire. "As soon as I get out, I'm going to find Joseph and save him from whatever you've done!"

"Do you really think you can do that?" Ruvik asked, forcing [m/name]'s rising torso against the ground with his hand. "Against a hoard of Haunted? It would be easier to watch him be overpowered, wouldn't you think?"

"Don't you dare! Leave him alone!" [m/name] snarled. The pressure disappeared from his back, and a hand gripped his chin, lifting his head as Ruvik stared down at him. 

"You will never leave here as long as I will it. You are mine." [m/name] bit his lip, glaring despite the panic rising in his chest. 

_'Joseph.'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> in other news i literally have no idea how to end chapters


	5. testing waters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which ruvik teases his captive and loses him in the same chapter

How long had he been stuck here? Unable to move and forced to endure all sorts of pain. Ruvik tortured him slowly with different tools, but every time [m/name] felt as if he would pass out from the pain, the blood and wounds disappeared, only leaving a tingling sensation from where gaping wounds had been moments before. Begging and screaming didn't work, and Ruvik didn't seem to want to let him go any time soon. 

However, within the confines of the chair and seemingly endless pain, small bouts of pleasure also seeped in. Sometimes Ruvik would drag his fingers down [m/name]'s collarbone, sometimes his hands would grip his thighs, and a weak, subdued moan would slip past [m/name]'s lips. 

Long past begging, [m/name] sat limply in a chair, his cheeks wet with previous tracks of tears as his body twitched. He waited for the next douses of pain, panting and releasing sobs of pain. Opening his eyes slightly, [m/name] watched as Ruvik knelt in front of him. A hand cupped his cheek, lifting his head as a thumb rubbed over his bottom lip, smearing saliva and tears from his face. 

Closing his eyes again, he could only wait for the torture to resume. "Please..." His voice was barely a whisper, and his throat was raw from screaming, but still he pleaded. "Please stop..." he whimpered, tears leaking from his eyes. Again, Ruvik trailed his fingers down the length of his neck, causing [m/name] to whimper. This time, he flattened his hand against his chest, slowly moving down so Ruvik grasped his hips. Pressing closer, Ruvik watched as [m/name] swallowed, his chest rising and falling irregularly. His other hand slowly inched up his knee, and [m/name] could feel his heart jump. He began to struggle again, weakly pulling on the ropes that restrained him. 

"Despite all that torture, you can still feel this," Ruvik noted, the hand on his thigh now slipping beneath the fabric of his shirt. [m/name] writhed slightly, back arching as he felt calloused fingers on the skin of his abdomen. The [h/c] male began to panic slightly, and the muscles of his abdomen tensed underneath Ruvik's fingers. Watching [m/name]'s face intently, Ruvik slid his hand up and around to his back, feeling his spine beneath soft skin. 

"Ahh... s-stop..." [m/name] breathed, trying to close his legs to push Ruvik away. Gripping his hip tighter, Ruvik pressed himself between [m/name]'s legs, and the smaller male moaned slightly, feeling a strange kind of heat pool by his groin. "N-no..." Arching as Ruvik massaged his skin. 

"You're losing yourself. And soon you will submit to me. So do it," Ruvik said lowly, his hands moving dangerously close to the inside of his thighs. 

"I-I won't... I can't..." [m/name] began to squirm more, trying to push Ruvik away. "Stop, let me go..." Leaning even closer, their chests nearly touched as Ruvik moved his hands more vigorously. Whining slightly, [m/name] found himself pressing back against Ruvik, almost as if he was asking for more attention. A small smirk curled up on Ruvik's lips, and he stepped back, leaving [m/name] to shiver with a small rush of cool air. Whimpering from the lack of contact, [m/name] watched as Ruvik stepped a few feet back. 

"It's a shame, but I have other business to attend to. Not to worry, though, I'll be back." He said before disappearing in waves of black and blue mist. 

Now left alone in the room, [m/name] tried to see if his ropes were loose. His hopes were dashed as they were tight enough to prevent him from moving his wrists and feet, but he tried to squeeze his feet through small gaps in an attempt to untwist the ropes and wriggle free. 

He struggled for what seemed like hours, and when he finally got one arm free, he winced at the sight of his wrist, rubbed raw from the rope and bleeding through small cuts. Reaching behind him, he tried to feel around for a knot, and he tried to loosen it, if only slightly. 

Even as he got the other wrist free, he felt as if Ruvik was watching him. Shivering slightly at this through, he bent over to untie the knots at his ankles, and when he stood, he had to use the chair for support, trying to steady his shaking legs. Carefully walking to one of the many doorways, he tried to search for something, anything that would help him escape. With no luck he looked down seemingly endless hallways. "Please... please, please..." he whispered to himself. Stopping to rest, he shivered as the feelings of being tortured flooded back to him.

A chill ran down his spine, and with his heart beating loudly in his head, he turned, paling at the sight of Ruvik standing a few meters behind him. He looked furious, and as soon as he saw the expression Ruvik had, [m/name] began to run as fast as his shaky legs could carry him down the halls, nearly tripping over his face several times. Sometimes, when he would turn a corner, Ruvik would be there, reaching out to him with a badly burned hand. Other times, the hallways seemed to be never ending, and when something shining caught his eye, [m/name] made a beeline for it. 

The hallway he ran down led to a large cracked mirror. Disappointed, he turned to see Ruvik advancing towards him quickly. Holding his hands up instinctively, [m/name] backed away until his back hit the glass, and closing his eyes, the last thing he saw before a warm feeling enveloped him was Ruvik's face, twisted with fury. 

He couldn't open his eyes, for when he tried, a blinding white light forced him to shut them once more. It was only when he could see the light beginning to fade, and felt his back hit the brick of a building, that he finally opened his eyes. He was in the middle of some ruins, surrounded by treeless terrain. In the distance he could see the lumbering forms of some Haunted, and though he knew there was no Ruvik near him, he couldn't bring himself to relax. The previous torture and running had strained his body, and he felt exhausted. His eyes began to close, and before he completely passed out, he thought he heard someone calling his name.


	6. reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which i need to find a new way to imput flashbacks and joseph appears

When [m/name] finally became conscious of his surroundings, he noticed several things. The first is that it felt like he was being suspended over open air. The next is that it seemed too quiet to be where he previously was, surrounded by Haunted and all alone. And the last is that he felt really warm. Sighing slightly, he moved his head slightly, and the swaying he felt stopped. "[m/name]?" Opening his eyes slowly, he saw the familiar face of Joseph, and he couldn't help the small smile that tugged on the corners of his lips. 

"Joseph..." he breathed, feeling relief spread through his body. He tightened his arms around Josephs neck briefly. 

"Are you feeling okay?" The detective asked. 

"I'm alright. You can put me down, I'll walk on my own." [m/name] said. 

"Are you sure? I can still carry you," Joseph said, and even though he wasn't looking, [m/name] could practically see the way his eyebrows furrowed. 

"I'm fine, trust me." [m/name] tugged slightly on Joseph's sleeve for emphasis, and he braced himself slightly as Joseph stopped and stooped low, releasing his legs so he could slide down. Though he had been confident about being able to walk on his own, [m/name] swayed as soon as he hit the ground. With his reflexes slowed, he would have fallen if not for Joseph grabbing his arm and pulling him upright. Falling against Joseph's chest, [m/name] saw his vision sway. 

"You said you were alright," Joseph chided him. Steadying himself, [m/name] waited for the slight numbness of his head to pass. 

"I'm just a little dizzy. These past few hours haven't exactly been kind to me. You too, it seems. I should be asking you if you're alright." [m/name] said. 

"I'm fine, but it might be a good idea if we rested for a little bit. There isn't any immediate danger, so I think we're safe." Joseph said, leading [m/name] over to a rock so he could sit. 

"If you insist. Besides, how long have you been carrying me?"

"Not long," Joseph said, but [m/name] detected the slight twitch of his hands and saw his eyes flicker briefly away. 

"You're lying. Sit with me." [m/name] patted the spot next to him. 

"I'm not lying," Joseph denied. 

"Your hands twitch when you lie. Plus you looked away from me. Besides, you said we're fine, right?" [m/name] said. Joseph paused, and the shorter male tilted his head slightly. "What is it?"

Shaking his head slightly, Joseph sat beside him. "Nothing." 

_"Hey... you're not lying, are you?"_

_"Wh-what? Of course not."_

_"There you go again! Geez, you're easy to read, you know?"_

_"How did you..."_

_"Please, Joseph. You move your hands when you lie. Plus you stuttered, and don't think I missed you looking away from me."_

_"..."_

_"Don't give me that look. Hey, wanna grab some coffee later? I have this craving for a latte or something."_

_"...you're very impulsive, you know that?"_

_"Eh, I try."_

"Have you come in contact with Sebastian or Kidman lately?" Joseph asked. 

"I was with Sebastian and Leslie and the doctor, but I don't know how long it had been because Ruvik showed up and we were separated." He left out the part where Ruvik tortured him, causing him to lose his sense of time. 

"I see... we should try to track their movements and see if we can catch up with them, safety in numbers and all that," Joseph said. 

"I don't know how easy that'll be, since Ruvik was the one who separated us, but we can try," [m/name] stood slowly, and looked around. "I just hope there aren't any Haunted around to complicate things."

"There's always something, but just keep your eyes peeled and we'll be fine," Joseph stood with him. 

"Let's try to find someplace where we won't get attacked." 

Together they made quite a bit of progress, but even so, [m/name] could still somehow _feel_ Ruvik watching their every move. At times he would glance over his shoulder and think he saw the outline of Ruvik standing there, watching from afar. They walked until their legs were sore and when [m/name] swayed slightly, he and Joseph took shelter inside an abandoned tool shed. The hooks had been stripped bare of what was assumed to be farm tools, and only a couple of empty barrels and boxes remained.

"There's still some time before dawn. We should rest until then." Joseph said, looking out the singular window. Leaning against one of the boxes, [m/name] closed his eyes, listening to the distant sound of crickets. He was asleep within moments.


	7. bruises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which ruvik gets some and it gets a little steamy

_You can't run from me. You're mine to do with as I please._

[m/name]'s spine curved in a painfully high arch as his mouth fell open. His entire body was hot, and his nerves were on fire. His fingers dug into something soft. Soil? 

_I am a god. You will kneel before me or I will make you._

_I control everything you feel. Everything that makes you squirm. Soon you'll submit to me. You're mine._

His voice strained as he cried out, but no sound came from his mouth and he felt white hot pain before a soothing kind of pleasure took over. This continued on for several minutes and at each interval where he could feel nothing, [m/name]'s body felt weak as he panted slightly. 

_I own you._

"No..." he protested meekly. "Just let me go...! What do you want..?" He tried to reach around for something, anything to hold onto, but all he felt was the cold ground, patches of dirt damp with what he knew was blood. "Leave me alone, _please_..." 

He jumped as rough hands gripped his hair, and a pained moan left his lips as his head was forced up, and the wounds marring his body stung and burned. 

"You won't be able to live without me. I'll invade your mind and make you go mad, you won't be able to stop thinking about my power over you." Tearing his head away, [m/name] fell back against the ground, body screaming in protest. He could barely see the outline of Ruvik's feet in the inky blackness, and suddenly as soon as he was there, he was gone, walking around with nearly soundless footsteps. 

The next thing he felt was not crippling pain, nor Ruvik grabbing his hair or clothes. Instead, fingers slipped underneath his shirt, and [m/name] inhaled sharply at the feeling of a large, textured hand against his skin. The scratchy texture of ropes curled tightly against his wrists and ankles, and he couldn't suppress the whimper that escaped his lips. 

HIs entire body tensed as Ruvik moved the fabric of his shirt up his body, revealing bloodied and pale skin. Covered in a thin sheen of sweat, [m/name] tried to feel around the ropes for knots, but it disappeared through the ground where his hands were, and he gave up as cool, musty air caused goosebumps to appear on his exposed skin. 

[m/name] shuddered as textured fingers brushed against the pale column of his neck and he swallowed. His body twitched and he writhed as a hand slipped beneath the waistband of his pants. His breaths came in short and panicked bursts, and a harsh gasp tore from his mouth as he felt warm fingers touch his groin.

His eyes locked with Ruvik's and the other man had such a predatory look in his eyes it made [m/name]'s blood run cold. "Sto-...plea-..." he whimpered, trying to twist away. Even as he turned his head away, he could still feel Ruvik's eyes watching his every reaction. His face erupted in scarlet, and he moaned helplessly as Ruvik played with his hardening erection. "Ruvik..." he breathed, missing the way the man's eyes darkened, "s-stop..." 

"Do you really want that?" Ruvik asked lowly next to [m/name]'s ear, his deep voice sending a shiver down the [h/c] male's spine. 

"Ye-yes-- _ahh_..." [m/name] moaned as Ruvik's hand increased its movements. 

"Tell me what you want," Ruvik said, running his thumb over the tip of his cock. Moaning, [m/name] found it increasingly hard to form words, especially as the heat coiling in his belly became harder and harder to ignore. 

"P-please..." he moaned, unconsciously bucking his hips. "D-don't.. _aahh...haah_...!" He arched, but was left with an unbearable heat coiled in his stomach. Ruvik had tightened his grip, preventing him from climaxing. "P-please... don't st-stop..." he cried, "please...!" 

Ruvik's lips pulled up in a smirk, and he teased the head of [m/name]'s cock before finally letting him climax, his other hand trailing over his sweat dampened skin as the other male arched and cried out. 

As his back sunk to the floor, [m/name] panted, his body hot and his heart pounding. "Why?" he breathed, vaguely aware of the pounding in his head. 

"I told you: you're mine to do with as I please." Ruvik said. 

"I'm not your toy!" [m/name]'s temper suddenly flared, but his reflexes were too slow and a tight grip restrained his wrists. Golden eyes were boring into his own, paralyzing his limbs and he wanted to struggle but his body felt heavy. 

Then, a short gasp was pulled from his mouth, only to be swallowed by Ruvik's own. He could feel his lips bruising underneath the other male's mouth. It wasn't even a kiss, it was brutal and painful, and it was all teeth and tongue. Writhing, [m/name] gave pained, muffled whimpers, but Ruvik purposefully ignored them. Managing to pull away at a particularly painful bite to his lip, [m/name] cried out. 

"Stop!" he lifted a leg to try and kick the man above him, but Ruvik curled his hand underneath [m/name]'s knee, his fingers digging painfully into the skin. Arching slightly, the [h/c] male quivered as Ruvik pushed his knee towards his face. The fabric of his pants rubbed slightly against his previously softening cock, and a shudder went down his spine.

Satisfied with the way the boy was restrained, Ruvik bent to press his lips upon [m/name]'s once more. "Don't resist," Ruvik nearly growled against [m/name]'s bruised lips, a smear of blood across his bottom lip. 

"He-help--" [m/name] gasped. A high pitched gasp tore from his mouth as the hips above him rolled against his own.

"No one can help you here, not even that boy toy detective." 

"Do.... do you mean Joseph?" [m/name] asked. "We're just f-friends," he said. Ruvik scowled.

"I've seen the way he looks at you. It seems he thinks you're not just 'friends'." Ruvik paused. "But that doesn't matter. Because you're not leaving here."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> weeeeeeell its pseudo smut but there may or may not be actual smut sooOOOON hehehe ;D


	8. touch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which ruvik experiments with illusions

[m/name]'s ears rung. Where was he again? How long had he been there? Where was Leslie and Sebastian and Joseph? _Joseph_. Something in the male's heart clenched when he thought of the glasses-clad detective. He didn't understand, however. His mind swum with confusion at why he seemed to favor Joseph over Sebastian or Kidman, or even Leslie. 

As if following his train of though, Ruvik suddenly dug his fingers into [m/name]'s hips, causing the latter to cry out suddenly. His own voice sounded weak and strained. In the next second, Ruvik was across the room, and [m/name] was left alone on the dusty floor. "If you won't willingly submit, there are other ways to bend you to my will."

[m/name] let out a piercing shriek as thin sharp poles impaled themselves through his wrists, pinning him to the ground. Writhing in pain, his breathing came in panicked, sharp breaths, and tears pushed out of his eyes. "Stop, stop, _stop_!" He yelled in between sobs of pain. Ruvik watched him squirm, watched as blood trickled down his wrists to leave trails of red on his pale skin. Suddenly, as soon as it happened, the pain dispersed, leaving a trembling, whimpering [m/name] on the floor. "Wh-what do you want?"

Instead of answering him right away, Ruvik circled the smaller male, watching with eyes so dark and predatory that it made [m/name] shudder. "I want to watch you squirm," he said, voice deep and slow. "I want to keep you locked up and make you completely and utterly mine." 

Though Ruvik's words caused his heart to skip with fear, he couldn't help but feel a shudder of apprehension. "I won't ever belong to you!" [m/name] choked out, and in seconds he felt the pressure of Ruvik's body flush against his. A hand roughly twisted his chin to the left, and he barely had time to gasp before chapped lips pressed insistently to his own. The fingers gripping his jaw forced his mouth open, and he was sure there would be bruises after the ordeal was over. Trying to wriggle out of Ruvik's grip, [m/name] let out a muffled moan as a tongue pressed between his teeth. "Stop--!" He cried, trying to buck the white-clad male off with his hips. 

"You think it's worth your time to resist, but it's futile. I am a god here. And you _will_ be mine." Ruvik said. Then he paused. "Unless there's something holding you back from completely submitting to me." 

"I-I won't submit to you!" [m/name] glared defiantly, even as his glare melted and his mouth fell open to release a moan as a hand cupped his groin. " _Aah_... No...!" He could feel Ruvik's intense gaze on him, watching as his face twisted with pleasure and as his body tensed and twisted. He could barely feel the cool air surrounding his hardening cock as Ruvik's warm hand squeezed and massaged. Then, his hand was gone, and he was left whimpering in embarrassment at the sight of his own erection. 

"I can see what you want. What you desire." 

"Nn...no--" [m/name] gasped, arching suddenly at the feeling of something, or _someone_ enveloping his weeping cock. Head swimming with pain and pleasure, he could see the form of _Joseph_ riding on top of him, the detective's head thrown back and his mouth open in silent cries of ecstasy. Eyes going wide, [m/name]'s body went rigid, and out of the corner of his eye he could see Ruvik smirking, watching him intently. 

"Or perhaps you'd prefer it the other way." His voice was low and rough, and in a rush of wind, [m/name] was suddenly atop the taller detective. Mouth falling open to emit a groan that was more like a scream, the [h/c] male was _very_ aware of something hard and hot filling him in ways he could have never imagined, and he could vaguely feel the cool leather of Joseph's gloves clasping his hips tightly. 

Crying out, he felt the other male move jerk his hips, and his fingers gripped the hem of Joseph's vest, fingers gripping the fabric so hard his knuckles turned white. His mouth was open in a pained gasp, and he whimpered as he felt a mouth on the curve of his neck. Thrashing, he suddenly felt empty, and he jerked away, falling to the ground on his side with a loud thud. 

"Stop!" he cried, writhing on the floor as the visions ceased and he was left with a cold sheen of sweat on his forehead and his body throbbing. "Stop it... stop..." His wrists were free, and as he swung his hands in front to block out Ruvik's cruel smile, he realized that there was no gaping hole where the poles had been, nor was there blood running down his arm. The only thing that proved he hadn't imagined it was the familiar tingling sensation where the poles had pierced his flesh. 

A large hand, calloused but somewhat warm, grabbed his wrists to pin them back above his head. A rough bite to the underside of his jaw caused [m/name] to whimper. Then, as soon as it happened, the pressure disappeared, and he was suddenly gasping, clawing at grass and pushing himself up to look around, body trembling. 

He was alone again, lying in the middle of the woods as the sun had begun to dip below the trees. Swallowing dryly, he called out. "Se-Sebastian? Leslie? J-Jo..." He couldn't, _couldn't_ call out to Joseph. Something had stirred in him, and thinking about the man was a dangerous way to send heat coiling in his nether regions. Lifting his hand, his fingers glossed over the ghost of indents left by teeth, and he shivered, curling himself up. 

_You can't run from me_.


	9. mouths

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which this fic is still alive and joseph gets bold

[m/name] awoke to the sound of twigs cracking in the distance. Jumping to his feet, his vision swayed, and he leaned against a tree for support as he looked around. He could see hobbling figures slowly making their way towards him, and he felt around his pockets for some sort of weapon. A gun, a stick, anything. Looking around his feet, he saw a broken branch lying by a thicket of bushes. 

Reaching for it, he gripped the rotting wood in his hands. "This won't last long," he muttered, tugging stones from the ground. They felt weighty in his hands, and he could feel his heart thud against his ribs. 

Ducking beneath the cover of some bushes, he watched the undead wander near his hiding place. Wracking his brain, he tried to think of a way to escape. He needed to find a way to meet up with Sebastian and the others, he needed to find a weapon. 

_You can't run from me._

Shuddering, [m/name] wrapped his arms around himself. He could still feel the ghost of a pressure against his hips, feel his body shudder. He remembered how the leather of Joseph's gloves felt against his skin, and he pinched his arm. "Don't think about weird things now, focus on getting out," he whispered furiously to himself. 

Looking around again, he began to crawl quietly further away from the pack of the undead. 

Running at a crouch, he dashed out of the edge of the woods, before sprinting across and down the hill. His foot caught on a rock embedded in the earth, and a surprised cry left his mouth as he tumbled down, feeling rocks dig into his body as he skidded across dusty dirt paths. At the bottom of the hill, he lay there, dazed. 

"Ow..." his fingers touched sticky patches of blood, and he winced. Looking around, he saw undead in the far distance, and he searched beside him for anything to use as a weapon. Cursing, he stood, barely dusting himself off before running again. Shivers went down his spine as he passed the dark forest, the only light from the stars. It was night, but how long it had been night, he had no idea. Time seemed to be twisted when Ruvik brought him to his world; he had no way of knowing if only hours had passed, or days had gone by. 

His food caught on something, and with a cry, he flew forward, hands flying out in front of him to cushion his painful fall. He felt rocks sticking out of the ground digging into his palm and hips. He groaned, slowly pushing himself up. Looking back, his eyes widened as he saw the outline of a rotten, detached limb lying in the grass. He scurried away, feeling bile rise in his throat. 

[m/name] squeezed his eyes shut, fingers digging into the cool, soft dirt. "H-help," he whimpered pathetically, curling up in a ball. Something heavy fell against him, and with a startled cry, he shoved the weight off of him. A hurt whimper caused him to freeze, and looking up, he saw a head of dirty white hair. "L-Leslie?!" He cries out in disbelief. "I-I'm sorry, are you alright?" He asked.

"Alright, alright, alright," Leslie muttered, shuddering. [m/name] gingerly placed his hands on the albino's shoulders. 

"I'm sorry Leslie, I thought you were... one of those things..." Though Leslie flinched a little at his touch, [m/name] saw him give a small, hesitant smile. "Do you know where Sebastian, Kidman or Joseph are? I'm trying to look for them," [m/name] said. Leslie began to rock back and forth.

"Scary, scary..." the boy muttered. 

"L-let's get out of here," [m/name] helped Leslie stand, and led the hobbling boy away from the forest. They crept through abandoned ruins of old houses and barns, and came upon a house that had boarded up windows and doors. Situated by a river, [m/name] broke open the door and led Leslie inside. "Are you injured? I don't have many bandages left, but I think it'll be okay," he looked carefully at Leslie's face and body, trying to search for any injuries. "We shouldn't stay here long, I'm going to see if there's anything useful here, then we can move on." 

Leslie followed a few steps behind as he looked under beds, in cabinets and in boxes. He found a couple of granola bars and a bottle of water, as well as some bullets, but no gun. He and Leslie exited the house to the river. "[m/name]! Leslie?!" Head snapping up, the [h/c] male was startled to see Joseph across the river. 

"Joseph!" he called. At that moment, Leslie suddenly let out a shout of pain, cradling his head. "Leslie, what's wrong?" The boy charged forward into the river, only to be washed away by the strong current. [m/name] ran after him. "Leslie!" He heard Joseph's shouting of his name before he dove in after the albino. The river pulled him along mercilessly, and he reached out towards Leslie, who seemed to be getting further and further away. 

"[m/name]!" He could barely hear Joseph's voice over the river. He could feel slippery and jagged rocks cut his skin and he winced. 

"Leslie! Leslie--!" He coughed, eyes widening as he saw a large rock come into view, sticking out of the water. At the speed he was going, he was going to smack right into it--

He barely had time to feel the pain as his vision went black. 

...

_"Sebastian... what can I do?"_

_"..."_

_"How can I face anyone?? I-I can't forgive myself--"_

_"[m/name], it's going to be okay, you need to calm down."_

_"How can I calm down, Sebastian? I shot a man! I killed him!"_

_"It was an accident, [m/name], there was nothing you could have done!"_

_"I could have kept the gun in my belt."_

_"And then what? Let him attack you? [m/name], you'll get through this. Joseph and I won't let anything bad happen to you."_

"[m/name]!"

_"It doesn't matter what happens to me, I deserve any punishment they give me."_

_"[m/name], don't think like that--"_

"[m/name]!"

_"I should never have been a police officer--"_

"[M/NAME]!" The [h/c] male's eyes flew open as he gasped. His eyes burned, and he turned on his side as water shot from his mouth. Gagging, he could feel his chest and stomach heave as he threw up water. A hand rested on the small of his back, and he shuddered, fingers gripping the wet blades of grass. "[m/name], are you okay?" He heard Joseph's voice laced with heavy concern. 

"Joseph..." he shook. Looking up, he saw Joseph's clothes were also wet; he must have jumped in after him. "L-Leslie?" He asked. Joseph shook his head. 

"Gone. I don't think he was hurt too badly, but I couldn't find him anywhere after pulling you out of the river." 

"I-I see..." [m/name] sat up, body swaying. Joseph wrapped an arm around his shoulder. "How long have I been out?"

"An hour or so. It's still pretty late. I could build a fire so we could get dry, but I'm worried about those... things out there." Joseph said. 

"I-I don't think there would be any around here... a fire doesn't sound bad, to be honest..." [m/name] shivered. 

"All right. Wait here, I'll get some wood." Joseph said. 

Joseph built the fire by the river, and they lay their wet clothes to dry by the fire. "Here," he handed [m/name] a granola bar, and the [h/c] male smiled slightly. 

"Thanks." His hands were still shaking, and he nearly dropped the bar. 

"Careful--" Joseph and [m/name] both caught the package, and [m/name] retracted his hand, cheeks turning slightly pink. 

"S-sorry," he said, fumbling to open the snack. There were some moments of silence before Joseph spoke again.

"You seem unhurt, for the most part. That's good." [m/name] nodded.

"Y-yeah, you look okay, too." Joseph watched him steadily, and [m/name] turned away, suddenly very aware that he was naked save for his boxers. [m/name] jumped slightly when he felt Joseph's fingers brush against the nape of his neck. "J-Joseph--"

"I thought... I lost you." The bespectacled male whispered. [m/name] looked shyly up at him. 

"I-I'm here," he said. Joseph cast his gaze downward. His fingers curved around the back of [m/name]'s neck gently, but firmly.

"I know, but I didn't want to lose you, not again..." 

[m/name] scooted forward slightly, touching Joseph's chin lightly. "You won't lose me again. I promise." He said. Joseph's lips twitched in a slight smile, it was sad and lonely, and [m/name] felt his heart ache. "Joseph I--" 

The other male leaned his forehead against [m/name]'s shoulder, and he shuddered, feeling Joseph's soft breathing against his bare skin. He felt fingers run through his hair, and his eyes slid shut. "[m/name]..." said male shivered, feeling Joseph's hand leave his neck and smooth up and down his arm gently. 

[m/name]'s body quivered as Joseph's mouth brushed against the skin of his neck. "J-Joseph, I--" Slightly chapped lips ghosted against the corner of his mouth, and his body tingled, and he felt himself beginning to melt against Joseph's touch. "We... We can't... it's not..."

"I know... _I know_..." Joseph's voice was slightly strained, and the sound of it made [m/name]'s heart throb. He felt thumbs massage his hips slightly, and it made heat coil in his stomach as much as it made his heart flutter. Leaning forward, he barely pushed his lips against Joseph's jaw, feeling the grip on his hips tighten slightly as a shudder ran down his spine. "You're making it hard to control myself," Joseph breathed. Leaning against his chest, [m/name] curled himself up on his lap. 

"I'm scared, Joseph," he whispered, and the hands on his hips disappeared as Joseph wrapped his arms around the smaller male's torso. 

"I know. It'll be alright." 

[m/name] only wished it was true.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -casually comes back to life after months of not updating- IMS OS Sorry pls forgive me


	10. dream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which joseph thinks about the past

_"Hello! My name is [m/name] [last]! It's nice to meet you, Detective Castellanos, Detective Oda!"_

_"You'll be shadowing them as a new recruit; listen to them and don't cause trouble, okay?"_

_"Yessir!"_

_Joseph remembered the first time he and Sebastian met [m/name]. It had just rained, and the scent of wet grass wafted through the open windows. Smiling brightly, [m/name] seemed too young, too naive for the profession he'd chosen. Even younger than Kidman, he exhibited a kind of fresh innocence that fit oddly with Sebastian's brooding nature, Kidman's secretive personality, and Joseph's down to earth attitude._

_Still, Joseph felt it only natural that he and Sebastian guide the young man through his training to become a detective and police officer. Despite the bumps along the way, [m/name] showed an intense hunger for learning, and strived to improve anything and everything he could._

_He remembers the day Sebastian began to open up to the youth. "Detective Castellanos, um, for these papers--"_

_"Oh, I can take them. Thank you," [m/name] smiled brightly._

_"Thank you! Oh, but if you need help, please tell me! I noticed you've been staying after hours a lot and I want to do everything I can to help!"_

_"No, you don't need to..."_

_"Consider it part of my training! If I can't handle a little work, then what good am I?"_

_"...Well... in that case, can you sort these by date and in alphabetical order?"_

_"Of course, Detective Castellanos!"_

_"Also... you can just call me Sebastian. 'Detective Castellanos' is a mouthful." Joseph couldn't forget the almost demure look on his partner's face._

_"O-okay, Se-Sebastian!"_

_Joseph confronted his partner with a small, amused smile. "You've taken him under your wing, huh?" Sebastian sighed, running his hand through his hair._

_"It's not like that, I'd just rather he feel comfortable working with us, it's tiring to be so damn formal all the time."_

_Joseph chuckled. "Sure, Seb."_

...

The bespectacled man ran the backs of his knuckles down [m/name]'s cheek, watching the other's chest slowly rise and fall. Dawn was breaking, but he knew that the Haunted didn't bother to make themselves scarce under the sun's harsh light. "[m/name]," he murmured, "We should get moving." 

[E/c] eyes blinked open slowly, bleary from sleep. "O-okay," he said, standing. 

"There's a facility not too far from here; we should try to make our way there and find any supplies we can," Joseph points to the tall, crumbling building in the distance. 

"Right," [m/name] brushes the dirt from his pants, following Joseph. He shuddered, wrapping his arms around his bare torso. The fire, which had gone out some time ago, barely smoked as the two males retrieved their slightly damp clothes. "Better than nothing, I guess," [m/name] offered a strained smile. 

"True," Joseph returns the smile. 

The walk feels slow under the rising temperatures, and [m/name] feels sweat collect at the nape of his neck. His throat felt dry, and he hoped there could be at least some bottled water left in the facility. "We'll get there soon enough," Joseph's voice makes him jump. 

"R-right," [m/name] says, then stops dead in his tracks. "I don't suppose you have a lot of ammo, do you?" he asks, pointing to a scattered group of Haunted loitering a few hundred feet in front of the facility's doors. 

Joseph reaches into his pocket, fingers brushing against the gun in his belt. "I have some, but not enough to kill all of those things," he frowns. "If we create a distraction, we can run past them and obstruct the doors."

"A distraction?" [m/name] looks around. "But I don't see anything we could use to distract them with..." Joseph puts his hand on the other's shoulder, guiding him to a crouching position on the ground. 

"I have the gun, I'll be the distraction."

"But--!" [m/name] protests. "Joseph, there are so many of them! If they swarm you..."

"I'll only distract them long enough for you to run through. You're out of bullets, aren't you?" Joseph asks, "Plus, after being in the river, your gun might be too waterlogged to work, and I don't have the type of ammo that goes with your gun."

"But... it's too risky. We should try to find another way in," [m/name] said. 

Joseph shook his head. "We don't have time; more Haunted could be tracking us for all we know, or Ruvik could send them our way. We should take this chance," Joseph squeezed [m/name]'s shoulder gently. 

Biting his lip, the [h/c] male frowned. "I..." he took a deep breath. "Okay. Just, promise you'll get out as soon as possible, okay?" 

Joseph smiled. "Of course."

...

"I'll go first; when I yell run, go as fast as you can, okay?" Joseph and [m/name] crouch behind a crumbled wall. "I'm sure they'll all go for me if they see me first. You're nimble enough to make it by them without much noise."

[m/name] nodded, his gut twisting with worry. "Quick and dirty, right?" he asked, looking up at Joseph. 

The other nodded once. "Quick and dirty." [m/name] watched as he loaded his gun, cocking it with a grim expression. "Not until I say go, okay?" he said. [m/name] nodded. He saw Joseph take a calming breath, before darting out from the cover of the wall. The first shot echoed in [m/name]'s ears, and Joseph disappeared from his view as he walked forward. The sound of splitting flesh and the faint smell of gunpowder made [m/name] dizzy, but he waited, heart pounding. 

There was a soft curse as he heard Joseph fumble, and the shooting stopped briefly in the time he re-loaded his gun. [m/name] felt tense, adrenaline pumped through his veins. "Now!" Joseph's yell was followed by another shot, and [m/name] sprinted from his hiding place. 

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Joseph shooting a Haunted, and he pushed himself to run faster, praying that Joseph would follow suit soon. [m/name] glanced behind him, fear curling in his gut as he saw Joseph backing away instead of moving forward, trying to keep distance between himself and the hoard. "Joseph--" he called out.

"Keep going!" the detective's yell was obscured by another ear-ringing gunshot. 

[m/name] turned in front of him, only to see another three Haunted rushing towards him. He skidded on the dirt, feeling his blood run cold. But they didn't attack him. The Haunted ran right past him, dead set on swarming Joseph. 

"No, Joseph!" [m/name] reached out, only to feel something heavy land on the side of his head. His eyes squeezed shut as pain exploded in his temple. He felt his arms and face scrape against the dirt as he tumbled to the ground, and through the thick haze of pain and confusion he heard Joseph yell his name.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> jojo ur killing me
> 
> hope the chapter didn't seem too rushed; i tried to put in a little action since it's been so long :3


	11. mine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which ruvik appears more than once

When [m/name] opened his eyes, he tasted dirt and dust in his mouth. He coughed dryly, throat convulsing. The ground beneath him no longer felt hot and dusty, but cold and smooth. "Great," he muttered, "back here again." His head and hands throbbed, and lifting them off the ground, he grimaced at the sigh of scrapes and beads of blood on his palms. 

He rubbed his hands gingerly on his pants. He wondered what was happening to Joseph.

"That was actually a smart idea. Too bad you and your _friend_ executed it so poorly." A familiar, low voice cut through the thick confusion fogging his mind. 

"Ruvik," he said, watching the white-clad male circle around him, eyes locked on him like a hawk watching a rabbit. 

"Why didn't they attack me?" [m/name] demanded, "Why did they only go after Joseph? I'm sick of your games, Ruvik!" He pulled himself to his feet, stumbling slightly. Glaring, [m/name] stepped away from the other male. "Just kill me already—"

The breath is knocked out of him as rough hands grab his shoulders, shoving him backwards until he crashes into a wall. "Believe me—" Ruvik hisses, "I have no problem with killing you. However," [m/name] looks up into the man's scarred face. Two textured, calloused fingers pressed against his mouth, slipping between his lips and [m/name] gags as Ruvik plays with his tongue. "There's something about you that... interests me," he voice lowers to an almost purr. 

[m/name] grabs Ruvik's arms with trembling hands, throat convulsing as the other forces his fingers deeper, delving into his throat. He struggled to breathe, his head was swimming. [m/name] choked as Ruvik's teeth scraped against his jaw, then his throat, and down further, working the flesh of his shoulder. Pushing against him was futile; he was much weaker than the taller male, and he was at a great disadvantage with his back pressed so hard into the wall. 

He was beginning to feel lightheaded from breathing in too little oxygen, from gagging around Ruvik's fingers. He tasted copper and salt and his knees were weak. Tears pricked his eyes and he retched, though nothing came out, and Ruvik tore his hand from [m/name]'s mouth, his fingers slick with saliva. 

[m/name] shuddered and coughed as his wrists are anchored to the wall. He feels Ruvik suck hard at his skin, and it throbs when he pulls away. "Don't—" he breathes hoarsely. He can feel his body trembling against the cold stone wall, and he gritted his teeth, unable to stop the arching of his back as fingers ghosted over his waist and hips. Against his will, his hips popped off of the wall involuntarily, and almost immediately, he felt Ruvik's hand slide around to his front and roughly massage his groin. "Haah...!" 

Hands tug at his shirt, his hair, and [m/name] can only kick his legs feebly. His throat and shoulders tingle, and he doesn't need to look to see the dark, purpling bruises littering his skin. Saliva trickles down his chin and he grimaces. 

"The way you squirm is... _exquisite_ ," Ruvik's voice is low and gravelly. There's a stinging pain as teeth sink into his shoulder. 

~~~

_"Did you get into another fight?" [m/name] jumps slightly, and lets out a nervous laugh._

_"Er, well, not exactly—"_

_"What are those injuries, and you're limping—" Joseph's eyes scan the other male, watching the way he favors his left leg over his right, the way his hands instinctively go towards his abdomen._

_[m/name] holds his hands up, stepping away from his fellow detective. "It was just a rowdy civiiian! He was drunk and someone called me in to take care of him; bring him back home, you know? He just got a few hits in before someone else knocked him out..."_

_"[m/name], it looks like he got more than just 'a few hits' on you."_

_"Er, I mean, all in a days work?" his voice trails off uncertainly._

_Joseph walks forward, rolling up the sleeve. [m/name] hears him suck in a breath when he sees the bruises and scratches littering the skin. "[m/name]," he breathes._

_"It's not as bad as it looks! They're just bruises, they'll fade—" the [h/c] male winces as Joseph presses his thumb lightly against a bruise on the inside of his wrist._

_"You should have called for backup," Joseph says, seating the other down in a chair, "you don't always need to go it alone."_

_"I thought I could handle it," [m/name] whispers. Joseph searches his face, before sighing lightly. He unhooks the first aid kit sitting on the wall, putting it on the table of the break room. [m/name] holds out his arm automatically, wincing when Joseph dabs disinfectant on his cuts._

_"There's nothing wrong with what you did," Joseph says, "but I'd feel a lot better if you brought Seb or I along."_

_[m/name]'s bottom lip pushes forward slightly in a pout, and he averts his eyes. "Sorry," he mumbles. Joseph's fingers linger on the smaller male's palm._

_"There's no need to apologize, but don't be surprised if Seb gives you a lecture about safety," he chuckles a little._

_"Oh man, do you know how many times I've had that spiel? So many times," [m/name] frowns._

_"Well, maybe there's a reason why Seb keeps telling it to you...?"_

_"Joseph!"_

~~~

"Joseph—" [m/name]'s voice is barely above a whisper, but Ruvik hears it anyways. 

" _No_ ," he breathes, fingers threading through [h/c] strands and tugging back harshly. "You're _mine_ , it's useless to think about your detective friend now." [m/name]'s eyes squeeze shut as a hand slips beneath the waistband of his pants. He uses his free hand to claw at Ruvik's chest, but the other only hisses with pleasure, groping harder. "Hurry up and submit to me," he growls.

[m/name] can't think, not with a hand shoved down his pants, not with his skin tingling and throbbing and burning all at once. Ruvik mumbles something under his breath, and [m/name] shrieks quietly at the hauntingly familiar feeling of barbed wire curling around his hands and forearms. The metal pierces his skin as he's pulled up, just enough for Ruvik to grab his waist and push their hips together. 

The faint pleasure does little to cut through the pain of having his skin torn open, and [m/name] gasps ragged, heaving breaths, feeling warm blood trickle down his arms and seep into his shirt. Ruvik watches him intensely, watching the way his face twists in pain and the way tears make his eyes glassy. 

The barbed wire disappears as soon as it appeared, transforming into rough, itchy rope, and [m/name] is left with a slight burning sensation in his arms, the open wounds gone. Ruvik pulls [m/name] harder against him, and the smaller male gasps, cheeks flushing a dark red as the pleasure replaces the pain he felt not moments ago. " _Please_ —" he whimpers, unsure of what he's begging for. To be let go? To be touched more?

Ruvik's lips curl in a smirk. With one arm around the small of his back, [m/name] can feel slightly wet fingers slip beneath his shirt. His muscles tense as Ruvik's palm smoothes across his skin. Heat pools at [m/name]'s groin, and he groans. There's a low rumble in the taller male's chest as he grinds their hips together, fingers squeezing sensitive flesh. [m/name]'s legs wrap around Ruvik's waist with no where else to go, and briefly, just briefly, he forgets he's in a life or death situation, that Ruvik is a maniac that wants to kill him and his friends, and that they could die at any time—

Pleasure makes his body tense, and Ruvik pushes his body against the wall, supporting him as his hand moves from under his shirt back to his groin. "You'll only belong to me," Ruvik whispers. "You're _mine_." 

The pressure in [m/name]'s abdomen swelled and swelled until he could no longer form coherent sentences. He writhed, arched, cried out Ruvik's name as his body tensed more and more—

His knees hit the ground, and he lets out a loud moan of pleasure and pain. His fingers claw at the ground, coming on contact with jagged pieces of stone. "What—" he gasps, feeling his groin throb. Looking around, he sees himself back in the real world—or what he thinks is the real world. He bites his lip. He needs something, _someone_ to relieve the coil in his abdomen. He whimpers, curling in on himself, shame and heat burning his cheeks when he thinks of Joseph, the ghostly feeling of his leather-clad hands gripping his hips and he _keens_ , feeling wetness in his pants as he's pushed over the edge, hips stuttering as he whimpers and pants. He bites on his lip so hard it starts to bleed, and when he finally calms down, he shakes, feeling his heart rate slowly calm down.

The shameful wetness in his pants makes his lips turn down in a grimace, and he stands shakily, leaning on the broken down wall. His heart rate begins to slow, and he looks around for anything to wash himself with. He winces with every step, working his way towards a flooded area of the city. 

The water is cold and has debris and what looks like dead bodies, but [m/name] doesn't care, wading through the water until he's sure the sticky wetness in his pants has been washed away by the water. He wonders where Sebastian, Leslie and Kidman are, wonders if Joseph—

No, he can't think about Joseph now, not after he just used the image of his friend to... to...

[m/name] bites back a whimper, pulling himself out of the water and searching for anything he can use as a weapon. The gun he'd carried around disappeared when Ruvik transported him into the other world. He spots broken axes, the stick end of what used to be a shovel, but he doesn't find a gun until he wanders around the buildings, searching up and down the dilapidated structures. 

There are three bullets and a small pistol, and though he wishes there was more ammo, it's certainly better than nothing, and he loads the gun, cocking it and cautiously exiting the building. 

The other buildings groan and creak, and he steps carefully over spots that look particularly weak, praying he didn't fall into the icy depths below. The hot sun is a relief from the cold water, and his soaking wet pants slowly dry as he creeps around outside, searching for any hint of his friends. 

The ground below him cracks, and he freezes, eyes widening because this _should_ be solid ground he's standing on, but [m/name] cries out in shock when it crumbles beneath his feet, and he plummets into darkness. 

...

Something is shaking him, and his ears ring. "[m/name]!" a rough voice shouts, and [m/name] raises a hand to touch the back of his head. "[m/name], c'mon, look at me! Are you all right?" He opens his eyes slowly, seeing the concerned face of Sebastian above him. 

"S-Sebastian?" he mumbles, sitting up. 

"Hold on, you're bleeding," the other man says, digging around his pockets. [m/name] blinks, his vision slowly clearing as Sebastian wraps a bandage around his arm and plasters a band-aid on his cheek. "How... did you get here?" he asks, voice laced with concern. 

"I..." [m/name] puts his hand on his head. "I was walking and then... I fell... but it was weird; I thought I was walking on solid ground, but then it just fell out from under me in an instant." Sebastian frowns.

"That's happened to me too; one minute I'm walking through a building and the next I'm falling sideways," he pulls [m/name] to a standing position. The shorter male stumbles. Sebastian steadies him with his hands on his shoulders. "Are you sure you're all right?" he asks. 

[m/name] nods. "I-I'm okay, but... where are we?" he asks, looking around. 

Sebastian's frown deepens. "We're in Ruvik's old mansion. Not the first time I've been here, though. Hopefully it'll be the last." He grimaces. "Can you walk?" he asks. 

"Yeah, I'll be okay. No where to go but forward, right?" [m/name] offers a smile. 

Sebastian's expression softens, and he puts his hand on the back of [m/name]'s neck, squeezing it gently. "Right," he says. They walk down a narrow hall into a drawing room-type space, where the walls were covered with deep red wallpaper and old but expensive looking furniture lined the walls. The room beside it had cages stacked in the corner, a nude female-mannequin and a modest desk and chair, as well as a multi-drawer wardrobe. [m/name] looked around nervously; could something be waiting for them? It seemed oddly quiet. 

They pushed past two red velvet curtains, where a soft, muffled clacking could be heard from the door standing ajar at the end of the narrow hall. "You don't think... there's a Haunted there, do you?" [m/name] asked, voice barely above a whisper. Sebastian's grip tightened on his gun. 

When Sebastian pushed open the door, however, they saw Doctor Jimenez and Leslie in a dingy-looking room. "Leslie—" [m/name] gasped, seeing the white-haired male lying on a table, with a weird device around his head. 

"Doctor. What are you doing?" Sebastian asked, pointing the gun at the doctor's head. 

"Trying to save us," he replied urgently, leaving the computer-like machine to walk around beside Leslie. He was scribbling something on a notepad, and [m/name] clenched his fist.

"Really? 'Cause it looks like you're making another monster to me," Sebastian stepped closer, keeping the gun pointed at Jimenez's head. 

"I don't have time for this, detectives," Jimenez says. 

Sebastian cocks his gun, the clicking echoes in [m/name]'s ears. "Neither do we," he says. The doctor looks up from his clipboard and sighs. 

"Leslie has been here before. And made it back. He survived being linked to Ruvik," he says as Sebastian circles him. "The only patient ever as far as I know."

"So you're just going to use him like all the other patients you've made suffer?" [m/name] glared. 

"And what does that have to do with all of this?" Sebastian asked suspiciously. 

Jimenez resumed scribbling in his notebook. "He's our way out, Detectives. Our only way back." He circled back to the control panel, turning a knob slowly. 

In an instant, [m/name] hears a high-pitched ringing, and judging from Sebastian grabbing his own head, he hears it, too. Leslie began to cry out, writhing on the table, and [m/name] felt his heart ache. "Leslie—!" he said. 

"No, it's working—!" the doctor says. The world around them shifts, expanding and contracting, and [m/name]'s eyes widen when the four of them appear to be standing in a round, white-washed room. Leslie continues crying out, but there's something supernatural about his voice that makes it sound like more than one person is yelling. "Oh thank god it's working," the doctor mutters.

"Stop it—!" [m/name] grimaces, hands digging into his head. 

The machine begins to beep, before it shuts down, and the ringing and swaying of the room stops. "Leslie, are you all right?" Sebastian asks. 

The boy is crying, and [m/name] hurries beside him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and helping him off of the table. "Leslie, it's okay, you're safe, you're safe," he whispers, holding the shaking, crying male to his chest. Leslie huddles against him, and there's a low, wet growl, and [m/name]'s jaw drops, seeing a chain-infested, grotesque monster. He tightens his hold on Leslie, and Sebastian raises his gun at the monster. 

"That's it... That's why..." the doctor looks mesmerized by the creature, and though [m/name] hates how he used Leslie, it wouldn't feel right letting him die. 

"Doctor, run!" Sebastian calls out, but the doctor remains where he is, eyes fixed upon the drooling, grey-skinned creature. 

"He holds the same thing as us... He wants out!" Jimenez exclaims, and with a roar, the creature raises a massive claw and crushes the doctor, slamming his body _through_ the grates below. [m/name] feels bile rise in his throat, and a shockwave sends them all flying, and he sees the solid wall behind him, tightens his grip on Leslie to prepare for the impact and—

They're falling, falling and [m/name] squeezes his eyes shut, preparing for the worst—

"Gah!" he cries out as he and Leslie crash into a wall before crumpling to the ground. He feels Leslie shaking and pushes himself up. "Le-Leslie, are you okay? Are you hurt?" he coughs, feeling the burning ache in his back. The white-haired boy hobbles up, and [m/name] gingerly rubs his shoulder. 

"Hurt... hurt... hurt..." the other mutters, wrapping his arms around his knees and rocking slightly. 

[m/name] settles himself in a seated position, searching Leslie for injuries. "Nothing's going to hurt you, okay? As long as we stick together, I'll protect you," he says, putting a hand on Leslie's shoulder. 

His shivering stops, and [m/name] smiles slightly, relieved. "Yes, but," Leslie's voice is low and steady, and [m/name] freezes. "Who's going to protect you?" the white-haired boy raises his eyes, and [m/name] feels his breath catch in his throat. Instead of an unsteady gaze, Leslie is staring steadily at him, bloodshot eyes boring into his own. 

"Les—" [m/name] gasps as he's shoved down onto the ground, hands clawing at his clothes. The hunched over boy is usually so frail, so weak, but [m/name] struggles to keep the hands from wrapping around his neck, crying out as Leslie attempts to throttle him. "S-stop, Leslie! What's wrong?" he asks, gritting his teeth and trying to throw the other off. 

"Struggle, _fight_ ," Leslie growls, and [m/name] feels his heart sink. "You can run but you can't hide, you're _mine_ —" 

[m/name] cries out as hands push past his flailing limbs, grabbing his throat. "L-Leslie—" he coughs, fingers prying at Leslie's unusually strong grip. 

" _I_ am in control," Leslie's voice is deep, gravelly, and [m/name] feels himself pale as _Ruvik's_ voice comes from ghostly-pale lips. 

"R-Ruvik, let him go!" [m/name] chokes. The fingers grip his throat harder, he sees spots in his vision. " _Please_ —" he claws at Leslie's hands. Then the pressure, Leslie's weight on top of him is gone, and [m/name] coughs, hands shooting up to touch the tender, bruised skin of his throat. He sucks in ragged, stuttering breaths. The ground beneath him shifts, and he's lying on a wooden floor. "Le-Leslie...?" he asks, rolling onto his stomach and pushing himself up into a seated position once more. 

"Interesting how you strive to protect him." 

The familiar words send a cold wave over [m/name]'s body. "Ruvik..."

**Author's Note:**

> honestly knowing me there will be smut so yes look forward to that.
> 
> also i might change the title later ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ who knows


End file.
